Kyle Shanahan: I’ve been real happy for Matt LaFleur, but not this week

Posted by Josh Alper on January 17, 2022, 6:27 PM EST
Green Bay Packers v San Francisco 49ers
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49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and Packers head coach Matt LaFleur didn’t have the warmest handshake after the Packers beat the 49ers 30-28 in Week Three, but there’s no bad feelings between the coaches heading into Saturday night’s divisional round game at Lambeau Field.

LaFleur was an assistant when Shanahan was the offensive coordinator in Houston, Washington, and Atlanta earlier in his career and the two men remain good friends while competing in the NFC. Shanahan called himself a fan of LaFleur’s on Monday, but added that he’s not going to be rooting for him this week.

“Matt’s my guy. Matt and I are totally good,” Shanahan said, via 49ersWebzone.com. “I was pissed after that game because of how the game just ended. That was a tough one. It took a while to get over. But we’re good. I talked to Matt a lot. He’s done a hell of a job this year. I’ve been real happy for him, but that stops this week.”

Saturday’s game will be the second time that the two coaches have met in the postseason. Shanahan’s 49ers beat LaFleur’s Packers 37-20 in the NFC Championship Game two years ago, but the Packers beat the Niners in each of the last two regular seasons.

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15 responses to “Kyle Shanahan: I’ve been real happy for Matt LaFleur, but not this week”

  2. Never forget, the Redskins had Kyle, Matt, and Sean McVay on the same coaching staff, but chose to fire HC Mike Shanahan.

  3. Except this time 9ers will run the ball down their throat, and there’s nothing Packers can do about it. 9ers win this one. Bye bye pack

  4. Shanahan was lucky to leave dallas with a win. Kicking 2 fg instead of going for 4&1 kept the game alive for cowboys. Shoulda never been that close a score.

  6. codylaws says:
    Except this time 9ers will run the ball down their throat, and there’s nothing Packers can do about it. 9ers win this one. Bye bye pack

    ————————

    The Green Bay Packers are the type of team every Viking fan secretly wants to root for.

  7. This should be a great game. There is not a better coach than Kyle Shanahan, and not a better QB than Aaron Rodgers. When you watch the 49ers, it almost seems like every play is a trick play, and it catches the defense off-guard, and someone is usually wide open. Or a run play that works like magic. But they’re not trick plays. Shanahan just understands the game on a different level than everyone else. But Aaron Rodgers is playing as well as ever. Guys don’t have to be wide open. Guys can be well covered, and he still completes every pass. It’s a QB league. But far too often these games come down to a blown call by the refs.

  10. All the 9ers have to do is run the ball and keep the MVP on the bench. Packers have always had problem stopping the run in the play offs 9ers offensive line is far superior the the Packers D line. Funny I haven’t read any comments about the weather. Lol…..see ya in Denver next year A A Ron.

  11. All the 9ers have to do is run the ball and keep the MVP on the bench.
    ==========

    With Dillon and Jones, the Packers may come out with the same gameplan.

  14. Ima Packers fan, but i think 9ers are gonna give ’em all they can handle. Just hoping for a good game, regardless of who wins. 38-11, 47-11, 42-21, 31-15… oy. Hopefully game will be closer to Cincy-LA/Dal-SF games. Without the referee drama.

  15. There are 2 keys to this match up.
    SF has to control Adams,…. GB has to control Samuel.
    Beyond that key,… it’s all about play in the trenches. Week 3 Aaron took what SF gave him which resulted in many quick throws which kept the chains moving. I can see more of the same Saturday night.

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